1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of construction and building tools. More specifically the present invention relates to a telescoping spirit level apparatus capable of spanning closely spaced apart as well as widely spaced apart structural points and then contracting in length for compact transport and storage. In this way the level apparatus replaces the several levels of varying lengths normally carried by workers to construction sites.
The level apparatus includes an elongate tubular segment and two extension segments slidably retained within opposing ends of the tubular segment. The tubular segment and extension segments contain at least one curved glass tube or a transparent capsule having a curved bore, the glass tube or bore being filled with alcohol or other suitable liquid containing a bubble which always seeks the highest location in the tube, herein after referred to as a bubble site glass. A level apparatus in the form of a square is also provided having bubble site glasses and having extension segments which telescope out of the arms of the square. A method of extending one of the extension segments from the tubular segment and then placing the apparatus across two building points to determine their relative levelness is also provided.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There have long been levels for testing whether two spaced apart points on a building structure are level with respect to each other. These devices have essentially included elongate bars having planar elongate abutment side faces and having cut-out portions containing bubble site glasses. Each cut-out portion opens out of a display face perpendicular to the abutment side faces, and some of the site glasses are oriented longitudinally and some are oriented laterally relative to the elongate bar, for leveling with the bar turned either vertically and horizontally.
A problem with these prior levels has been that they have a fixed length which is either too long for positioning between certain elements of a building structure or is too short to span the two points to be tested. As a result, construction crews often carry several levels of differing lengths to meet a variety of size needs. Purchasing several levels becomes expensive and the levels themselves become space consuming and awkward to carry.
The practical utility of squares has also been limited by the reach of the arms of the square, and the inability of the square to test for levelness as well as for perpendicularity.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a level apparatus which is short enough to span closely spaced apart building structure points and to store and transport compactly, and which is extendable longitudinally to a greater length to span more widely spaced apart building structure points, and to provide a method including the step of longitudinal extension of the level apparatus.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a level apparatus which has a primary segment having abutment faces and longitudinal extension segments which telescopically pull out of the primary segment to increase the functional length of the level apparatus.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide such a level apparatus in which the extension segments include abutment bars mounted along opposing extension segment longitudinal edges to spring laterally outwardly to an extent that they form abutment faces substantially co-planar with primary segment abutment faces.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a level apparatus which is bent at a ninety degree angle at its mid-point to additionally function as a square.
It is finally an object of the present invention to provide such a level apparatus which is sturdy and economical to manufacture.